Heirloom recipes: Pie is for lovers of lemon

G.M. Andrews/PRESS-REGISTERLemon meringue pie is not one of my favorites, but I'm in the minority.

By DAVID HOLLOWAY

Food Editor

The list of foods that I will eat is long, indeed.

It is much easier to list the few things that fail to twang my taste buds enough that I will consume them on a regular basis. Chicken and dumplings famously are atop that very short list.

But also up there, right close by the dumplings, is another very popular dish that often gets me in trouble. Just the thought of lemon meringue pie sets my teeth on edge and given the chance I will always pass it up.

My phobia runs through to lemon squares and lemon ice box pie, but let’s not turn this into a massacre.

I say it gets me in trouble because when I mention this peculiar side of my nature to folks, they often look at me askance. Not liking lemon meringue pie is sort of like saying you don’t like Nick Saban or George Jones.

It’s just not done in polite society and certainly never talked about openly.

But lots of folks do like it, and the objective journalist in me compels me to offer up this recipe sent in by a reader who didn’t supply a name. It came in an e-mail and was unsigned, as are so many of those electronic thingies.

The writer claims to like it because “I don’t have to use flour, and instead of sugar I can use Splenda. It is delicious.”

At any rate, try it and see. Just don’t ask my opinion of it. You already know what I think.

Lemon Meringue Pie

9-10 servings

1½ cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar or Splenda

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

4 eggs, separated

Butter or vegetable spray, for the pie pan

1 tablespoon grated lemon rind

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 cups heavy cream

Sift together 1 cup of the sugar (or Splenda) and the cream of tartar.

Beat the egg whites until stiff. Slowly fold in the sugar mixture and beat until well blended. Butter or spray on bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie pan.

Scrape the meringue mixture into the pan, building it up around the edges to fashion a shell. Place in a preheated 275-degree oven and bake for 1 hour. Remove and place on a rack to chill.

Beat the egg yolks until light and lemon colored. Add ½ cup of the sugar or Splenda. Add the lemon rind and lemon juice; mix well to blend. Cook in the top of a double boiler until thickened, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat; let cool.

Whip half of the heavy cream until stiff and fold this into the lemon filling. Pour this into the meringue shell. Chill until the filling is set.

Whip the remaining cream with 2 tablespoons sugar or Splenda and spoon on top of the filling. Chill uncovered for 24 hours.